My guest, Sarah Bonham, has high hopes. There's no reason why YOU can't match her ambition and build your own 7 streams of income! Listen to hear how, with her husband, this power couple dreams big and is making wealth happen!
High Hopes by Panic at the Disco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPXIgEAGe4U
14:18 Sarah mentions her current company Zyia; https://www.myzyia.com/active
34:56 Sarah mentions our WIN group, check us out anytime; https://womeninspirednetworking.com
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**Full Transcript
Intro:
I have a question, what is your favorite song? And how do you connect with it? Is it when you fell in love or through something really difficult? I'm your host, Tiffany Mason. Now join me as I interview others, and we take a walk down memory lane with them. Let's get lost in why that music matters to them. Turn up your radio and let's explore memories with a beat.
Tiffany
Well, thank you everyone for joining me for another episode of Memories with a Beat. Today I have with me, Sarah Bonham. What is your job title with Zyia?
Sarah
Oh, man, I've promoted so many times it's hard to keep track. No I'm just kidding, I'm a Double Diamond executive in the company which probably doesn't mean much to anyone, but.
Tiffany
Okay, I just wanted to make sure I got your job title right I don't want to just say you're simply a rep, and I know that you are so much more more multifaceted than that. Well first of all I want to just talk about yourself, let us know who you are what you're doing what you're up to that kind of stuff.
Sarah
Yeah, so I'm a mom of three Navy wife, my husband I met. Gosh, when I was 18 we got married super young I was old still a senior in high school just so crazy. We had my son, a year and a half later not part of the plan, you know...
Tiffany
If I can interrupt you really quick. It's interesting so you know we have Preston and he's 19, and he is smitten with this girl right now. And he keeps saying you know you and mom did it. And so it's kind of funny that you did it early and I met Shawn jeepers, three months out of high school. So I can completely relate with what you're saying and then two years later we had him. I'm sorry. Please continue but I totally get what we're talking about.
Sarah
I did not know that about you, that's really cool. That's why I love these things, right? We get to, we get to learn. And so, we had a five year plan. But God had other plans for us. We had my son, year and a half into our marriage. And to be honest with you, our first. Gosh, three years of our marriage were tough I mean military family young new baby never I mean my husband was never home. We had moved I don't even know how many times within our first three years. You know, it was just really, really tough. But I also think those tough times made us, the entrepreneurs we are today. I think those tough times molded us into the couple that we are today. The power couple of the Leaning on each other for support. But it wasn't easy it was super hard, it was super hard like we had separation papers in hand multiple times. And I share that because I don't know, I mean so many of our friends are going through some really hard times. And I don't know if, but if you're going through a hard time with your spouse, there is light at the end of the tunnel. And I think out of all the things that I do, I hope that that's something that is remembered more than anything more than any amount of money that we make or different streams of income that we, you know, create that, you know, your life to completely turn around. No matter how dark that tunnel seems in that timeframe. So anyways that's a little bit about me. I'm married super young and...
Tiffany
I agree, I'm sorry if I can interject again. I just reviewed Marren Morris, the song "The bones," she's talking about just a strong foundation. And I think that's kind of what you're alluding to as well those hard times make that stronger foundation. It's weird that like everything you're saying I feel like I've just experienced the last like two days.
Sarah
And so, I, so I was a new mom young mom. My husband was never home. I had my son super young. I was 20 years, I mean I just turned 20 years old. My son is three days, his birthday is three days after mine. I just turned 20. And I remember having contractions, when I was 19 and I'm like, I just want to be 20. I just want to be 20.
Tiffany
Oh my gosh!
Sarah
Because I got so many looks and so much judgment for being a young mom. And the first thing people would do is look at my ring finger as soon as they saw me pregnant or saw me with a little boy. The first thing they did was see. And I don't even have my ring on right now but, they would look to see if I had my ring on. So I had this little boy. Three years goes by where I felt like I completely lost who I was. For three years, I was either Bonham's wife...
Tiffany
We give up so much to be a mom and a wife.
Sarah
We do! So much! It was especially, in a military like, you're pulled away from everyone you know. You're pulled away from your family. You're pulled away from your friends the start this. And so for three years I was Bonham's wife, because in the military, they always go by last name so that when like, right? So I was bottoms wife, and Jared's mom. Right. And for three years. No one called me by my name.
Tiffany
That's weird.
Sarah
Crazy! I didn't really realize it. Like I've always been this like disgustingly optimistic person like people like are so annoyed, they're like, "Why are you so happy?" Like, why not? like I'm not happy all the time, right?
Tiffany
I love that about you, Sarah!
Unknown 5:02
Oh, I do! Like, I think happiness is a choice, I truly do.
Tiffany
It is!
Sarah
No matter how hard life is. I'm not saying that your life is always gonna be rainbows and butterflies. And you can't control it right? But you can control how you handle it. You can control your outlook and you control your perspective. Umm, maybe not in that moment, but at least a day or two later,[Laughter] because we're all human right? Like I have bad days, where I'm screaming at the kids to be quiet or, you know, go do something so I can get work done. But at the end of the day, happiness is a choice. And so anyways I consider myself to be this really optimistic person, and I went through three years of, I don't want to say depression but, three years of not feeling like my normal bubbly optimistic Sarah. And that was really hard for me. I was really hard.
Tiffany
I believe it. I remember, Shawn and I having a struggle where he would work all day, and he would come home. And I had been with Preston all day and I just wanted him to take the baby. But he was tired from working all day so it's just that balance that you always have to kind of figure out. But, same thing I was a month away from turning 21, when I had Preston so I feel you girl.
Sarah
I know. And Blake would come home, he was like in the prime of his military life. Like young, he's doing all these really amazing things, like jumping out of helicopters and spy rigging, is that what it, spiral rigging or something like that, I don't know. Like working with the seals and doing these like amazing things. And like he would come home excited like talking about all these amazing opportunities he's been having these different places, he's going to be going. And I'm like, I wiped a dirty butt today. Yeah. That was my that was like my whole...and it. Looking back, I wish I would have enjoyed that moment more. But I was in such a place of like just feeling sorry for myself. Like I'm not doing these cool things. I didn't get to finish college. I didn't get to do you know work on my career, and I've always been a very driven person.
Tiffany
Hindsight is 2020.
Sarah
Yeah. And so, being a stay at home mom. Or "Just a stay at home mom," which today, I hate that phrase, right?
Tiffany
Yeah, yes!
Sarah
And that's how I felt. And that's how a lot of people looked at me like, "Oh, you're staying home because you can't do anything else," right? I didn't finish college. Mmmmm, I did. I got a lot of like, I got a lot of stuff from family members close friends even because I didn't finish college. You know I had started but I didn't get to finish. My husband I wanted to use the GI Bill and transfer it to my son, versus me utilizing it, right? Like we didn't want... I was like I can find a way. Like I'm home. Like I will figure it out. But if we can have college paid for for one of our kids. That's what we're going to do so I chose not to use it, my husband chose not to use his GI Bill, and my son...
Tiffany
I didn't know you could do that.
Sarah
Yeah. Yeah.
Tiffany
That's awesome
Sarah
I always joke with him I'm like "Hey if you shot at and you get to purple heart, that's another kids college. Come on Blake."
Tiffany
SARAH!!
[Laughter]
Sarah
No totally a joke! Bad joke! Bad joke! but...
Tiffany
I made a similar joke. My husband has a fairly decent life insurance policy, I'm like "Hey, your worth way more dead than alive and I was like, "Ooh, I don't mean that! I don't mean that! I would always rather have you."
Sarah
Well it's funny because like, I'm, I have a better one than my husband because the military only give you so much and other companies will not... they're like "No your jobs too high risk. We're not going to cover you."
Tiffany
Oh sure!
Sarah
So Blake so he's always like "Sarah, you do the dangerous job like you go. "So we play back and forth, you know, you gotta laugh in life, right?
Tiffany
Oh, for sure that's
Sarah
Otherwise it would be pretty boring!
Tiffany
That's right.
Sarah
So all of these, you know, things that have happened in my life. Nothing that I planned. Oh my gosh nothing that I planned! I wanted to go into like commercial. Like, when I was a little girl, I saw myself at a big corporate desk with tons of other people, doing advertising. Like, I wanted to be an advertisement I wanted to do marketing. I went to work for a huge firm I wanted, like that was, you know, is when with you. Didn't happen. I married young, my son. Yeah, didn't finish college. And so that led me to direct sales.
Tiffany
Okay.
Sarah
And if I'm super honest with you guys, and I'm super honest with you, Tiffany. When I first started direct sales. I would have never done it if I had a quote unquote real job.
Tiffany
Okay. Sure.
Sarah
Because I would have been too proud.
Tiffany
Okay.
Sarah
And because I felt like it wasn't considered a "real job," right? It was, it was, it was like, "Oh you're one of those pyramid scheme people. Gosh." Um, and so for the first, oh my goodness probably like two years into my business. I was what you would call a closet direct sale girl.
Tiffany
Yes!
Sarah
People would be like, "Oh, so, what do you do? I'm like, "Oh, I'm a stay at home mom and I kind of do this thing on the side." Like, I was very, like, oh, I don't wanna talk about it and you know these judgy things. But it led me to this, this opportunity which was a lot of self growth to wreck sales with so much more than just a business opportunity but it truly is a self development.
Tiffany
Amen, you have got to push yourself out of a lot of comfort zones.
Sarah
Oh, I just got goosebumps when you said, Yes! Yeah, you, I mean, that's the only way to survive is to be uncomfortable, you do not become successful in direct sales and stay comfortable. And so it challenged me on every level. I am who I am today because of direct sales. And, and I'm proud of that. I tell everybody like I am that girl, like I am a direct sales girl. I'm in multi level marketing company. This is why I love it. And this is what it led to. Which we'll talk about, you know, as we as we go on. But I have changed and grown so much, and so I look at my past. And I'm able to now, embrace the tough times in our marriage. Getting married young getting pregnant young. Giving up on, not giving up but I did I let college go, right? Gave up my career my goals and my vision, to raise this little boy. And for us in the military world it's a little different. My husband was never home, and we were in between homes so much. My husband and I felt like we truly needed someone to be a constant in our son's life.
Tiffany
Yeah.
Sarah
His life, wasn't it wasn't like we were in the same house and my husband was at work and I can do school while... there was no constant. We felt like I needed to be at first learn
Tiffany
That's so true because Shawn works so much, my husband. Yeah. And it's the same thing where I'm like you know I could get a job but I'm that constant for them. I can't believe how much our lives are mirroring right now.
Sarah
I know I've never really... That's so crazy because we've known each other for a long time.
Tiffany
Yeah, that's just, I don't know how we've never talked about this stuff before but my mind is constantly like [explosive sounds]
Sarah
It's, it is crazy and I think that, you know, sometimes as we get older, we kind of bury our past a little bit. We don't always bring it up front. And we don't talk about it. And we're talking about, you know... I think a lot of times, like even in our adult relationship, I don't want to say their service relationships. But it's hard, it's these conversations don't always happen, right? Like when, when you're first meeting someone and just having, you know, a glass of wine and laughing. I feel like you kind of just want that friend just laugh and get you know be silly with and... Which you guys oh my gosh, if you don't know Tiffany, she's the life of the party. She always makes everybody laugh. She's that girlfriend, but you know everyone needs that like... "A Tiffany" in their life, like you just if you're having a bad day, or if you need to laugh or let loose. Tiffany's your girl to go to, which is really awesome. Oh it's true like you can't be sad when you're around you because you're like here have a glass of wine. Let's drink it out let's have a good time, let's you know...Yes, and I think that that's important to have so anyway I'm kind of getting off topic but that's what girls do, right? So yeah, so everything kind of led me to direct sales. I've grown a ton. It was in a health and wellness company, and I was with them for gosh like over eight years.
Tiffany
Oh wow!
Sarah
Mm hmm. Actively growing, right, for eight years. And I'm still technically with the company because their products are just freakin awesome! And I love, you know...But it's not it's not where, where I get my income from. It's not part of my seven streams of income which we're kind of talking about that today.
Tiffany
Yeah, yeah, I did want to ask you about that so I don't know if you want to piggyback on that thought and kind of share your idea with the seven streams of income and maybe we'll branch off in that direction if that's okay.
Sarah
Yeah, yeah. So, is where I started direct sales. It kind of led me to again, this whole like rabbit hole. Like, I thought... I mean, I don't know if that's the right analogy, but kind of led me down this path of like, enlightenment. Like just being more open minded again, entrepreneurship, what time freedom truly look like, the self-development I got, the leadership opportunities I got, the sales opportunities, the skill sets I got to learn, and it all kind of led me down this entrepreneurial path. And as I started really diving deep, I came across this Forbes magazine which talked about how the average millionaire has seven different streams of income. And how the average person, who never really gets past like just, you know, living paycheck to paycheck. The average person in America has one stream of income and that comes from their job. And a job, and I know a lot of people have heard this right, stands for "Just over broke."
Tiffany
Oh, I have never heard that.
Sarah
Oh really. Yeah, so we we we used to say that all the time my other company. Like, we used to always say like you can work for yourself. And create your own life. And your own goals. And your own dreams. And have have a power and authority over yourself. And work hard to make your dreams come true. Or you can let someone hire you to work hard to make their dreams come true.
Tiffany
Yes, I have heard that
Sarah
Yes so like job, the word job like, getting a... having someone have total control, right? It's just enough that you're not going to leave. You can work your way up. There are some really good jobs, right? Like, you can work your way up, you can. But at the end of the day, you're trading time for money.
Tiffany
Yep.
Sarah
And someone is dictating your life and schedule. They're telling you when you can go home, how much time you can have with your family, when you can travel, and how often you can travel. And so there's a lot of limitations and unless you are using living on less income, that you're bringing from that one job and using it to create additional streams.
Tiffany
Right. Yeah.
Sarah
Yeah, don't really get past that, right? That's where most people start. This is your this is your first income. You work for somebody else. And that's okay.
Tiffany
Everyone has a different path.
Sarah
Yeah, but what do you do after that? Do you stay there? Is that your end all be all? I'm gonna work for this one thing for 40 years and then retire and get half of what I made before. That's cool. But I don't want to make less right? Like, I want to make more. I want to like be able to put my kids through college, I want to be able to travel the world, I want to be able to do these amazing things. Yeah. And so this magazine led me to like, what am I doing, how can I, you know, create other streams of income? And even before I read the magazine, so let me rewind a little bit, I was with my company for about eight years. Yep, and never thought I was going to leave, loved what I did, loved my love, my upline, loved my downline, love their products, loved the company, loved the culture. I mean nothing negative to say, Yeah, but a new opportunity came, right? And I did really well like I worked my way up. I was in a, like, a respected like rank at that company. I was like, one rank away from the company car. I mean it was like it was, ya know, we were doing really good. So why would I? I think sometimes in life, even when we're uncomfortable we can be comfortable.
Tiffany
Yep.
Sarah
And I also had to realize, it's not you know, in life, you're not... if you stop something and you start something new, it doesn't mean you quit. You just found a new vehicle. You upgraded your vehicle to get you to plan B, right? Like, your first vehicle was good. Like, it was a good ride for me I love everything about what I learned, so good. But that led me, I mean that that, that vehicle so to say, kind of like, there was nothing wrong with that vehicle. I just felt like I was worthy of an upgrade at that time in my life, right. So, I found this other opportunity.
Tiffany
If you're not gonna fight for yourself, who will
Sarah
And sometimes... it's I mean... so I found this other company. It was activewear. In the beginning I thought, "Gosh, activewear, nutritional products, wow, these really go hand in hand. I'm gonna grow these businesses side by side." That's my second stream of income, bam, right? I want to really work these. And then, as I started my first three months in my activewear business. I surpassed what took me six years to build my other company.
Tiffany
I know you blew up.
Sarah
Uuu, so when I... when that happen. I had to take a real step back and say, Okay, this is the product that my, my, my, my followers, my people, my customers, my circle of influence was really drawn to. They were excited.
Tiffany
Yeah.
Sarah
It was going really well. And so I decided that I was going to let go of my other business and really run with this one because of how quickly everything came together. And I did and I focused in and I ran hard. And I've been with the company for about two years.
Tiffany
Has it been two years already?
Sarah
I had been two years, February was two years, almost like two and a half years now.
Tiffany
Holy man!
Sarah
I know it goes by so fast. Two and a half years later I have surpassed my husband's military income.
Tiffany
That's crazy!
Sarah
Which is crazy, doing activewear, it's amazing! And so from there, we've been able to save. So when I was in my other company, I didn't quite make enough to start using that income to start creating streams, right? So I made, I made a decent amount but it wasn't it wasn't enough to really get me past living paycheck to paycheck even with my other company.
Tiffany
It was called a job.
Sarah
It was. I was, I was, I was trading time for money at the time. And you do like I'm not gonna lie, this company same thing in the beginning. You are, you're you're, you're working, you're hustling. It's not... you know, you are trading time for money, in a sense, and more often than time, you're trading more time and very little money. You know in direct sales, like you, you work really hard first, and then you get, and then you get the fruit. Doing my thing, and I'm working, I'm working I'm working and...
Tiffany
Sarah, can I interrupt you.
Sarah
Yes.
Tiffany
Have we said the name of the company, or you're not. You're not to that point yet.
Sarah
I wasn't really gonna say names I was gonna leave names out just for no bias so people just don't there's no...whatever...
Tiffany
Oh, we're gonna throw some stuff in the show notes for handles and stuff so...
Sarah
Ok! I'm with Zyia active. I'm a Zyia active rep. I mean, it's in my title so yeah
Tiffany
For anybody, if we're speaking too fast, it's Zyia, Z-Y-I-A. And again we're gonna throw that in the show notes so you guys can look it up and see how amazing and fantastic it is. And check out Sarah see how amazing and fantastic she is too.
Sarah
I mean, what are you wearing as you're listening to this right now. Take a look.
Tiffany
Yeah.
Sarah
Sports bra, activewear tank, leggings, short. And that was where I started my husband's like Sarah, you live in activewear. All the moms in your life, live in activewear. And now, I mean, gosh, 2020...
Tiffnay
pandemic...
Sarah
Pandemic. Who would have thought that online that activewear would have exploded like it did? Everybody is wearing activewear. And then not only that we have a business opportunity for people too, right? So now people can say "Gosh, like, I do love these clothes, why not launch an online activewear business myself? Let's do this.. But through this, I made, we've been able to take my income, you know, and start to create additional sources of income. That is the real journey I'm on. I tell people all the time, you don't have to join a direct sales company or network marketing company and say this is my end all be all. I want to be a direct sales superstar. You cannn...That can be your goal. That's an awesome goal. But for me, I want to use this opportunity because we would never be able to do this with just my husband's military income. There's no way, no there's no way
Tiffany
No, you guys have three kids now so, 5 of you.
Sarah
Yeah three kids... We can save, right? And we are like, saving, like life insurance policy, whole life... or like I'm doing... I'm saving for all three colleges saving towards our retirement, like we can do that off of his one income. But to really grow wealth and create other streams, there was no way we were really going to be able to do that, in a decent timeframe. And so, with Zyia, with my direct sales business. I've been able to in two and a half years, you guys, think what else could you do, right? Like we've been able to, first off, pay everything off, pay off debt. It's been amazing, debt free, start there before you invest, before you start making other streams of income. Pay everything off! Okay, like let's be smart, right, right. Yeah, then started saving big look for other opportunities. And so one of the things. Oh and by the way. And so I'll just go down the list number one, what started us, it was a job right when my husband's military career. Yeah, our service, our second stream like income journey is my husband and I's together.
Tiffany
I love that.
Sarah
So, number and I challenge you guys to do this. Right now you might have multiple streams and you don't even really realize it. You might be closer to seven than you think.
Tiffany
So I want you guys, listen to her, and if you decide "Wait a minute, I do have multiple streams of income." I would love to put have you put it in the review in a review for me, or you know, give me a shout out and let me know you know post it on social media, you know hey I actually have all these different streams of income that I never even thought of. So go ahead, Sarah.
Sarah
Do that you guys write it down, look at it on paper. All right. So first one started with the military, right, so my husband's military. We are four years away from retirement. So this... So military to me is, you're, you're trading time for money so that's a job, right? But in four years it's gonna turn into passive income, right? So that's so passive income number one. And that's the whole thing with the seven streams of income, not just seven streams of income, but seven passive streams of income. Where you're no longer trading time for money. Number two was my Zyia paycheck. In the beginning, trading time for money, really working my business. But today it's turned into passive income. If I did absolutely nothing next month, which I would never do because that's not a good leader and you always lead by example right?
Tiffany
That's just not you anyway Sarah
Sarah
It's just not me. Like I'm always working, but it has turned into passive. If God forbid something happened in my life, and I had to take a month off because someone got sick or worse, I had to take care of a family member, whatever might happen, right? Like life happens. That paycheck still comes. So that's number two, my Zyia business, and it has become passive. Zyia allowed us to pay for an RV.
Tiffany
I LOVE this!
Sarah
HOW is an RV passive income right? Okay, you guys.I don't know if you know this, you can rent your RV out. So when we bought it, I am not an RV girl, like I'm just gonna be really honest. I want to like fly to a resort. Stay there have someone else make my bed cook for me my idea.
Tiffany
I would rent that RV.
Sarah
It is a really nice one. I'm really excited about it.
Tiffany
It's a little bit of glamping.
Sarah
When we when we actually take it out we had the best time like.
Tiffany
Maybe never went with the right people before.
Sarah
I liked camp... I just like old school camping like to me camping is like outside on the ground with a tent.
Tiffany
No, no
Sarah
I feel like with the RV it's turned me into like kind of a camping snob. Now, I'm like I don't know if I could like...
Tiffany
You got a taste of the good life.
Sarah
I know it is. It is really convenient and you're like don't, you're not like laying on the floor and it's like cold or too hot or whichever.
Tiffany
The worst is when the sun comes in in the morning.
Sarah
Oh yeah.
Tiffany
That is the worst! Yeah, we camped a ton of kids. And we always wanted to sleep in the tent outside, really it was so we could stay out late and so our dad put it up for us, and we would wake up, like 6am, first thing, it was hot in there.
Sarah
Yes, yes. So great, so yeah. So anyways I thought about the whole RV thing, it wasn't like, "Oh, we love RV like let's buy an RV," it was more of a. What can we afford right now what can we buy, right now, that can start turning into cash flow? And we originally were saving for an Airbnb, but when COVID happened. And a lot of our friends who own Airbnb have said that you know like bookings have dropped, like they weren't getting as many people, they are getting kind of worried. We decided okay let's put a break on that for just a minute, but we wanted to do something. So this is where like you become like an opportunist right like you could sit there and be like, "Oh, like COVID happened I guess we're not gonna do, you know, do anything 2020." No, like, what's something else? You guys RV's are skyrocketing. We put ours up for four days, and had it booked out for almost two months. It was insane.
Tiffany
Wow, awesome Sarah.
Sarah
Thank you. Insane though, right? So do your homework, first off. When we are originally looking at RV's, we were like, "Let's get something super cheap like let's get something they can pull behind your car" We're really good we're gonna use this to make money. And that's the other thing you guys if this is about making income, you can't get too attached to the idea of so. You got to look at it from a business standpoint, not just a, "Oh this is easier or I want this or I can afford that, you know like, think about it well okay great if you can buy it, but no one's renting it out, you're still throwing that money away.
Tiffany
yep, Absolutely!
Sarah
Right? So we were looking at class C's and class A's which are good drivable ones, the ones that you can like actually pick up and drive. We're getting, we're gonna buy one of those, now that made my stomach sick. Oh my, I went home that night and I thought I was gonna throw up. I'm like, did we do the right thing? I'm like scared to death. I don't even like RV's like if we spend all this money on an RV. Like oh my gosh! I legit told my husband I thought I was gonna throw up. I know but we did it and it's been amazing you guys. And so, and you could say we got lucky, or this n that, but at the end of the day, like...
Tiffany
I wouldn't say you got lucky either because I've seen you work really hard.
Sarah
Well, so and we did we made it super homey we we didn't just put it up...
Tiffany
I mean in life in general, like the whole thing. I mean I've seen you guys work really hard both of you and hustle and make things happen. I mean yeah luck whatever. But I think the reality is you guys have worked really hard for what you have.
Sarah
I think it goes down to goal setting too, right? Blake and I have looked back and every five years in our lives, we've seen like big leaps in gains, but we've also set huge goals, right? And so it's really exciting now to look through and say okay where are we going to be in our next 5 years. And it's been super great for our marriage, on another note. It like it gives us something more to talk about than just how was your day?
Tiffany
Yes, right like a common goal together as a team.
Sarah
Yeah, it's like we get to dream together. We get to work together. We get to visualize and like just, it's awesome. It's awesome. So we rent an RV so that became passive income, that, I am already counting as passive income. Then the next. So that's number three right military, Zyia, RV share. So RV share is just like Airbnb but with an RV. You have a website they do it for you. It's awesome. It's simple. Anyone could do it.
Tiffany
Yeah.
Sarah
Okay, do some homework though don't listen to this podcast and just go buy an RV. Like, do some research.
Tiffany
Make sure it's in your area, make sure people are excited about it.
Sarah
Yes. See what's renting in your area, you live in in like a year, all year round type of place so that that definitely helps to live here in Florida. Some places are a little bit more seasonal, and you have to know that and be okay with that versus...
Tiffany
Know you downtime.
Sarah
Yep, yep. So, but, on average, most people in RV share make about $10,000 a season. So finding out.
Tiffany
Hey, that's $10,000 it you didn't have.
Sarah
Exactly. That's 10,000 you can save to create an additional stream of income. Right?
Tiffany
And $10,000, that you would probably spend $3000 on a family vacation or five or whatever. You're getting to make those memories, on top of the benefit of having that income on top of that income being able to provide for a different another stream so very multi-beneficial.
Sarah
Absolutely and all... like my husband I truly on a journey to creating seven streams of passive income, like that is the goal. So that's number three. Number four, we are saving up. Like, when the time is right we want to do our first vacation rental. Right now like that is something we don't want to do long term rentals. And we've done a lot of research, our heart and what works for us is the vacation site. Number one, we get to utilize it, right, I get to use it, because I love to travel right. Number two, we don't have to worry about evictions or dealing with someone in the house and not paying. You also get to... that you can make up to three times the amount on a vacation rental than you would a long term rental.
Tiffany
Oh, interesting
Sarah
You can charge more. What we really want to do is find cheap land up in the mountains and then put super nice, paid for in cash, tiny modern home. Super classy but small home kits, and then rent those out. And the thing is they're so trendy you can rent them out just as much as you rent for a big home. Yeah, you can charge $250 or $300 a night right people want that experience and so. So that's gonna be number four. Number five is a networking group.
Tiffany
Whaaaaaat?
Saray
Yes! So excited. So my girlfriend and I, Rachael. We met a year ago, on Instagram. Again through Zyia, right? By pushing me outside of my warm market or out of my comfort zone. And I was sending out cold messages, which I actually am not all about and I typically never do that for whatever reason I was just in the mood to message...
Tiffany
Fate had it for you.
Sarah
Fate did. And Rachael, usually ignores those types of messages. And she just happened to listen to it so. I say listen cuz I didn't actually I don't do text I do voice clips, right?
Tiffany
I like that.
Sarah
So just if you are in direct sales, voice clips, hands down have changed my business. People can hear that I'm a real mom, they can hear that my kids are screaming in the background, so I’m a real person. So they can tell that I'm being myself and authentic, which you don't always get in a copy and paste message.
Tiffany
Agreed.
Sarah
So anyways, Rachael and I, she's part of a nutritional company. I'm part of an activewear company. It was just true love at first sight. And for a year we started cross promoting each other, and we were like, let's do this on a bigger scale. We're like, how powerful would this be if we were getting business back and forth just doing that with just two people yeah how much business could we all gain and if we're doing it with 20 people, 30 people? And so we came up with a WIN. WIN stands for Women Inspired Networking. It’s a virtual networking group. And it's super affordable. One of the things that we wanted was we wanted a place for it to be all women. We really have a passion to like support other women, uplift other women, and encourage other women. And we also wanted it to be for people who had online businesses. So you didn't have to be in your local area we could…
Tiffany
Yes
Sarah
We could network, didn't matter where you live, as long as you’re, you have an online business, you can be part of WIN. Okay, for anyone who's listening if you're interested let Tiffany know she can get you more info because she's in the group too. Tiffany you talk about it though because you have, you have grown so much and you did not want to join in the beginning. I kind of…
Tiffany
Well I did want to, because I just love you, Sarah. I didn't want let you down you know like when your friend asks you to do something and you're like, Okay, I can do this for my friend right so I was like, “Eh whatever I'll check it out okay whatever.” And then it was every Tuesday night and my husband has Tuesdays and Sundays off. So I was like, “Oh man that's every Tuesday night that means if I want to have a date night, it has to be on Sunday.” And so I didn't know what to do with that right and then you were kind of like “You know, it's your choice ,” which I appreciate that. And in the nicest way ever because Sarah sprinkle sugar on everything but was kind of like “Poop get off the pot. Like you don't have to do this I'm not forcing you to do this but it's a great opportunity for you.” So, I keep saying, and you don't even know this but I keep saying behind your back. You know that I feel like Sarah had faith in me before I had faith in myself, so…
Sarah
that just gave me…I’m tearing up…
Tiffany
I know…
Sarah
…a little bit that means more to me than any anything else that… that…
Tiffany
So about the same time, I started doing like a business coaching course, and they were talking about this higher vibration. I'm like I don't know that's a little woowoo. But I'll tell you what that group has a high vibration. Those are motivated women. We are making things happen, supporting each other across promoting, it's just been really amazing. Kudos to you and Rachael for starting this amazing group.
Sarah
I love it and you know and it's that’s the thing where I think this WIN it didn't it didn't cost us a ton of money to get started. But there was money that had to come in to keep it going. So when Rachael and I started this we wanted a women's networking group that was structured, that was non compete, so there's only one person per category. If someone is like…if someone does Zyia “This is really cool that that sounds amazing. I'm gonna do that.” Well then we help you launch your own group. So we started just three months ago, we have four different tribes of women and…
Tiffany
Sarah, that’s amazing!
Sarah
I’m so excited! We have not paid ourselves yet. We’ve not made money on this yet, but as it's growing, we will be able to start paying ourselves for our time soon. So that then turns into something passive. The true benefit of being part of WIN, is it's growing and becoming a funnel for my Zyia business, which is my number one income source right now. It all…Do you see how I like it all comes back to like my first funnel, my Zyia business…
Tiffany
working smarter not harder.
Sarah
Yeah, right. So it's all it's all going back to that, and it's been amazing. I mean, last month I think 90% of my business came from WIN one way, shape or form, which is incredible.
Tiffany
Yeah! Wow!
Sarah
Then, and you're getting good business, like right, you're getting some good stuff right?
Tiffany
Yes Yep, yep, lots of podcasters need me.
Sarah
I love it, I love it. Yeah, so lots of new opportunities and so that's that's number five, right. So really number four doesn't really count cuz we haven't done it yet, but it's on the list, five is WIN it's women's networking group. Which again, you guys there’s so many different things you can do. Create a planner create a digital planner or start an Etsy shop, creating…anything that you're passionate about. Think about what, what you want to do and make that something. Turn it into something. Yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe you're great at something already start starting a class, teach other people how to do it, charge. You know come up with a program or a membership or whichever it may be there's so many different ways, and my biggest suggestion for that is it's okay to start messy Rachael I had no idea what we were doing. we just started, we were like hey we got at least 10 girls. We're meeting on this day. Let's go. And it's turned into something amazing. The new members that have joined are like wow I'm so impressed, you guys are so professional, and it's what a great group, and then Rachel they call each other later we laugh about it like a hot mess. That's reality, right, like if I'm being real like, don't worry about being perfect. Don't worry about having everything just right, just start!
Tiffany
Yes! Somebody that I know says the time is gonna pass anyway. So you can either start and be messy and do what you're gonna do…
Sarah
Learn as you earn.
Tiffany
Yes, yes. The time is gonna pass anyway, so just go ahead, get started.
Sarah
Learn as you earn, that’s something we say in Zyia a lot. So that’s number 5. Number 6, my husband is also a real estate agent. So he hustles too, right? He’s full-time Navy. Navy Diver, been in for 16 years now. And then also does real estate. This is not passive income yet. This is again very much like I started where, Zyia, in the beginning started very transactional. I made money when I sold a product. Right now as a real estate agent he makes money when he helps people buy a home, right. But the income that he’s making from that work is allowing us to also work towards saving for our Air B&B, helping us to save towards other opportunities.
Tiffany
Well I kinda like the fact more that you’re not to that point yet. You know, because all these interviews and everything with different people on different podcasts, it’s like someone’s already got the secret sauce. And I love that you guys are showing…we’re in the midst of it, we’re planning, we’re setting goals, we are seeing some of those goals be realized. I think that’s more beneficial than if you were on here saying “O, I already did it. It’s amazing and we’re just you know, sipping Mai Tai’s in Tahiti [Laughter]
Sarah
That’s the goal, right? Like, Just learning to say no to the right things and saying yes to the right things. Right, like having that balance. We’ve missed opportunities too you guys. We’ve been able to look back and say “We should’ve, we should’ve bought a house when we were located, uh, stationed in that area. We should’ve done this. We should have bought that stock when those prices were down. But, life happens and hind sight is 20/20, you know, right? But learn to just take a leap of faith. Every time we did not take a leap because we were scared, we very quickly realized that we missed out on a really cool opportunity.
You know, starting real estate wasn’t scary. That’s like again very transactional. But that money is turning into something that’s going to become residual. So and passive. He's got goals becoming a broker. So when you become a broker that turns into passive income, right? You can go to like teach train help other realtors succeed. And then that you're can get a percentage. That’s very much what I've done in Zyia. When I was growing my business is very transactional. I made money helping people buy activewear. As I grew a team, I became a broker right like I'm managing a team.
Tiffany
So real estate is multi level?
Sarah
Oh my gosh. So my husband…it totally is right? So a lot of insurance companies, financial companies are set up exactly the same and this is why I'm so proud to be like “Yeah, I'm I'm a direct sales girl. yes I'm in multi level marketing because it's genius.”
Tiffany
Yeah it is
Sarah
Genius. It gives you the opportunity to earn income, two different ways. Why would I only want to make money helping people buy, you know, buy active wear. When I can make money and manage a team at the same time.
Tiffany
Yeah
Sarah
And create a larger a larger income, right? My husband when he started real estate is so funny when he started going to all the trainings and he started doing all the things he's like “Oh my god!” he's like, “All the training is everything I hear you say to your team for years.” He’s like “It’s exactly the same.”
And so number 7 is again and that’s not, we’re not there yet. He’s got another year or so in real estate. And then he wants to work towards getting his license. And then the whole journey of becoming a broker. And that’s something I am helping him with. So we are already talking about what my role will be with that and what I am going to do to help. It’s so exciting! So that’s number 7.
And then right now, number 8, the real estate, again, the money that we make, also we wanna we wanna turn that into fill up the investments. So flipping homes. And then using that money that make flipping home to make more opportunity to flip more homes, right? So you see we just keep taking that money and rotating. We could take that money and spend it on stupid stuff, right? Like, “Oh my gosh we made all this money, like let’s go do this.”
Tiffany
Absolutely
Sarah
And it’s great. Yes! But take 90% of what you are making and roll it into a new investment, you guys. Do something with that money. Get that money to work for you instead of you work for the money, right?
So that’s number 8 and then number, so I have already passed that then right, because I’m doing a couple extra because maybe one of these don’t work out. So like let’s be smart right. So let’s plan for, back up plan right? So I actually have 9 on the list.
So again, number 1 Military/retirement that will turn into passive income, 4 years. Zyia already turned into passive in 21/2 years, RV share already passive, like a month. Air B&B not quite there yet but working on it. WIN, already passive after three months. My husband’s real estate, very transactional but using that money to do more real estate investments which that’ll kinda always be transactional even the flipping homes will kinda always be.
Tiffany
You can never have that be passive unless you have a whole team.
Sarah
Yeah Yeah, well and maybe that’s the goal, right? Like maybe that’s the goal. But that’ll be transactional for awhile. So 6 & 7, kinda right, those are transactional. But we wouldn’t be able to grow our wealth without it.
Tiffany
Right
Sarah
That’s the whole point right? And then number 8, broker’s office. And then number 9, and this is very transactional too, is I create content for small businesses. So, it’s not something I am trying to grow.It’s not something that I am actively promoting. But I do make money creating IG and FB posts for small local businesses and for owners who really have no desire to do that. They are too busy working on growing their business. They have no time for social media. Yet they know they need something. I love helping small owners. So that’s another way that I also create income.
Tiffany
I love that they are not all in the same area either. Like it’s diversified.
Sarah
Yeah, I don’t know about you. I never wanted to be…and that’s where the song comes from, like High Hopes, right? Like, that is why that song is like my freaking themes song. Like pick a song
Tiffany
Sarah’s talking about, so before I interview anybody of course I always say “Pick a song.” And so she picked “High Hopes” by “Panic at the Disco,” released 2018. And what would you say it is for genre? like…
Sarah
Pop? Rock? Punk? Punk Rock Pop, all together?
Tiffany
Yea. It also feels like a really good workout song.
Sarah
It…Well…because I mean, same thing like, do you wanna be the average Joe or do you wanna be the one in a million. And like the hot mom right? And when I'm thinking about like my goals and my success like when I'm working out there's nothing that kind of like motivates me more than to be like, “Yeah!”… like…[Laughter] Be that one in a million.
Tiffany
Yeah, that’s what I was gonna say. Are there specific you kind of relate to? You were saying the chorus maybe?
Sarah
I was gonna pick out a couple of like the key ones, but in all honesty I couldn't because the entire song, the entire song represents everything that I believe for myself, everything that I believe for my children. I sing this to my kids. You know, one thing that my kids are not allowed to say “I can’t" in my house. When they do they have to do five push ups. Because I want them to know, they’re allowed to say “I need some help.” They are allowed to say “This is difficult.” Or “This is hard.” Or “I don’t like this.” But they can’t say “I can’t do this,” because words are so powerful and the words in this song…are so powerful, you guys. You know, do you believe? So in direct sales, it’s a high fail rate. Not because it’s super hard or that it only works for some people. It’s just because most people don’t believe they can achieve it. They can’t visualize themselves…if you can only visualize yourself making an extra $500 in direct sales, guess what, that’s all you’re ever gonna make in direct sales
Tiffany
Right.
Sarah
Right
Tiffany
Your brain is so powerful.
Sarah
Oh my gosh, it’s unbelievable. So I‘ve always believed that I was going to do something amazing in direct sales. I did. I mean, and I told my husband. We got in a lot of fights too early on in my direct sales. Like,”Why are you wasting your time with this stupid in home party thing. Baaaah…I don’t want you doing this and..” You know? And I was like “One day you’re gonna regret that you tried to pull me down. Because I’m gonna be up on stage, speaking to women…” Which I have been able to do. Like, I love speaking that’s so amazing. And so I’m like “And you’re gonna look back and you’re gonna say ‘Gosh…’” And he does. He talks to husbands today and he’s like “Don’t pull them down. Don’t tell them they can’t.” He’s lucky I am so stubborn. I used his lack of belief in me to push myself even more. You know, I was like, “I’m gonna frickin’ show you. And I’m gonna make it to top. I want to make more money than you. I’m gonna be your sugar Mama. It’s gonna be awesome and you're gonna feel sorry you were so mean to me.
And I think, you know this song again just goes back to, like, what do you tell yourself every single day. I tell myself …I mean my mom worked full time. Starting in middle school. She’s from Korea, schools, not free there. Her mom had four… three, three kids, four kids sorry, four kids,. And they didn't have my mom, they didn't have enough money for my mom to go school so she had to work factory after school to pay for her school. And, yeah, and when she married my father she moved to the US, and she worked two jobs. So almost my entire childhood she worked seven days a week 12 hours a day.
Tiffany
Whoa.
Sarah
Yeah, almost my entire childhood. And I resented her for a long time and I wasn't grateful. And I couldn't see that that was her way of showing us that she loved us and cared for us. When I started direct sales… and that meant and she's my defining why if I can look back like yes like I have a goal of seven streams. Like I have three kids I want to save for. I want to give them the best life that I can, if I go all the way back to the beginning. And I think this is really important to know too. Why do you want to create seven streams of income?Why do you want to be successful in whatever it is that you are doing? And for me it was my mom.
I told you my mom worked super hard. She had mine and my brother’s college paid for in full.
Tiffany
Wow!
Sarah
She had saved all this money and then my father met another woman. And took it all. Left us, hasn’t talked to us since.
Tiffany
NOooooo…
Sarah
Yeah, and it’s crazy because he was such a good father. Like all of my memories of him are amazing. He was the life of the party. He was such a great guy. And then met this fake woman and took everything. Left my mom with debt. She had to file for bankruptcy, let the house go, I mean it was a mess. Along with that was her retirement. And so when I started direct sales and it's always good to be like super… But I told myself every month I wanted to quit because I did. Direct sales is not, I mean it's not all rainbows and butterflies you guys, it's tough. But it's possible right? But every month, and it only fails if you quit. That's something I've learned, and every month I wanted to quit. I told myself “If I quit. It's not my business and I'm quitting on it's my mom.” I want to make enough money where she doesn't have to worry about working the rest of her life. That when she's ready to stop working, like I can say "Hey you can move in with us. We can provide for you we can give you that space. We can pay the bills that you have like we can we can take care of you.” And so she doesn't feel like she has to work forever.
Tiffany
That's so awesome Sarah!
Sarah
Since then she's been remarried and stuff great husband and things are good but when all that was going on that wasn't the case. So that song like having high hopes like, do you have high hopes? Do you feel like you're going to be that one in a million? I scream that from the roof, I want to be the… I don't want to be the average Joe. Let's see it out Let’s, let's live big let's live bold. Make a letter… so these are a couple of the words, Mama says and this is why I really love this because my mom's always a hard worker. But mama said, fulfill the prophecy be something greater. Go make a legacy. Manifest Destiny. Back in the days when we wanted everything, oh wait, wanted everything. Mama said burn your biographies rewrite your history. Light up the world with your wildest dreams. How powerful? I want to read some of the other lyrics…
Tiffany
They are really powerful I didn't realize it until you had said the song as I looked it up and I was like “Oh gosh!”
Sarah
And then it says like life….uh, hand on…Promises, don’t give up. It's a little complicated all tied up no more love, and I'd hate to see you waiting. Where is the rest of the lyrics… hang on…
Tiffany
Isn’t that hard to read them and not seeing them?
Sarah
It's really hard I want to sing but you guys would like definitely stop listening.
Ok, so I love this part too. Like had to have high high hopes for living and that's that's such a true statement. Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing. And that is so true when you're starting off in this journey where you're starting off in a business or you're creating something new, doing direct sales for the first time or you're on this path of creating seven streams of income, you're not making a killing yet. You’re feel like, I mean, but you still have that vision, right? Like you got to know where you're going, doesn't mean it's going to happen in a blink of eye but you have to shoot for the stars you have to have a goal.
Tiffany
Yep.
Sarah
Even when the money's not coming in.
Tiffany
Right
Sarah
Right?
Tiffany
Right.
Sarah
Oh, I love that line I also love when it says didn't have a dime but I always had a vision. And I’m like “Oh this is so my song.” Even in my last company when I wasn’t making a ton of money. I always… I still had a vision. A crystal clear vision of what I wanted to achieve, right, through my business. And I just got to upgrade to a new vehicle and make it happen. But…
Tiffany
Whoop Whoop
Sarah
Whoop Whoop! And so I love these lines. I think they are super powerful, being one in a million. Had to have high hopes for a living. Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling. What are you feeling? What are you thinking? What are you manifesting? What is the legacy that you are gonna leave behind?
Tiffany
Good challenging questions just in life in general.
Sarah
Yeah, I mean, I thin sometimes we go through our whole lives and we don’t ever ask ourselves these questions. Like what are you gonna leave behind? Like what are people gonna say about you, when you are gone, you’re not here anymore? You know, like our lives are never promised. And that’s the other thing to all of this is, it’s not just about right now, it’s not just for me and my husband’s life. But we want to be able to buy our kids, a house each. Not for them to live in but as their first investment. To teach them and to be able to pass on everything that we have worked for, for them. The other beautiful thing about Zyia, is it’s willable. God forbid something happens to me, my family continues to get my paycheck.
Tiffany
Oh Wow!
Sarah
And so…right, like, so powerful, like, and that I think is important too. Where are you spending your time? It might not start off passive. That’s ok. But can it be passive? Can you turn it into something passive? Um, is it willable? Can you pass this on to your family and your loved ones? Because life is never promised, right? So anyways I don’t wanna talk forever. I could talk about this topic.
Tiffany
You have such good things to say though and so positive and motivational, and inspirational and all those good words. Good song. I love the pick. Um, I had not really been exposed to the words. I’m not really sure how I didn’t. But it just didn’t stand out to me. But it definitely will now.
Sarah
Yeah, right? Like it’s so powerful. So…
Tiffany
Everybody add it to your playlist.
Sarah
I know, seriously! Add it, believe it, manifest. Like what is life gonna look like? What is your vision? What are your seven streams of income? Um, Tiffany, I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to share. I’m sorry, I think we went kinda long. Did we go long?
Tiffany
We went a little long, that’s ok though. No problem. I didn’t want to stop you because honestly you just had such good nuggets for everybody that I felt like it was valuable. If I felt like you were talking in circles or ya know, like it was kinda fluff, maybe I’d find a way to cut you off. But no it was really good. And I think that there’s a lot we can all glean from what you said. Um, and maybe it just get people thinking on their car ride or wherever they are listening to us. But thank you so much for your time tonight Sarah. And I look forward to seeing you in our WIN group. Thank you so much, you have a good night Sarah.
Sarah
Thanks Tiffany, you too! Bye girl…
Outro
Well that was a great walk down memory lane. I hope you enjoyed my guest's memories and experiences with the song or songs they chose. To connect with my guest's, I mean I know you are just going to stalk their social media, but check out the show notes as always for details. Please leave a 5 star review. And I'd love if you left a memory of your own that was sparked. Can't wait to dive into my next guest's memories with a beat. Hit subscribe now, you don't wanna miss the next episode.
